Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

3RD SUNDAY OF LENT (March 11, 2007)

Suggested Emphasis

“The place where you stand is holy ground.”

Salesian Perspective

An angel appeared to Moses in the fire, flaming from a bush, a bush that, no matter how long it burned, was not consumed. No doubt Moses couldn’t believe his eyes. But if he was amazed with this revelation, imagine his surprise when he learned that he was standing in the presence of God.

Moses was on holy ground.

The truth of the matter is that we are always standing – and walking – on holy ground. Our world – and the people in it – is all created in the image and likeness of God. Our world – and the people in it – was saved by the life, the love, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our world – and the people in it – are inspired and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Our world – and everything in it – is a gift from God. Therefore, it is worthy of profound respect and reverence.

But how respectful are we? Do we treat our own bodies as holy ground? Do we relate to our environment as holy ground? Do we look at our gifts and material possessions as holy ground? Do we revere one another – and our relationships – as holy ground? In short, do we truly revere ourselves and one another, day in and day out, as a place in which we encounter the divine?

Moses removed his shoes in the presence of God as a sign of respect. We can show our respect and reverence for the presence of the divine in ourselves and one in another by removing more important things from our lives: envy, jealousy, gossip, deceit, gluttony, avarice, rage, violence, prejudice and anything else that prevents us from paying due respect to the God within us and among us.

But it is not enough to remove from our lives those thoughts, feelings, attitudes or actions that prevent us from recognizing the holy ground within us and within others. We must also embody the qualities enumerated in Psalm 103. We must…act with kindness and compassion…strive to secure justice…promote the rights of all (and any) oppressed…be merciful and gracious…slow to anger…abounding in kindness.

We stand, we walk, we live on holy ground, whether we are conscious of it or not... Like that burning bush, may our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and actions be a visible and convincing sign of this truth in the lives of ourselves…and one another.

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.